Investigators said the 69-year-old driver was struck in a Pompano Beach bus lot where the parking lights were reportedly off.
POMPANO BEACH, FL — A longtime Broward County school bus driver died after he was struck by another district bus in a transportation lot early Wednesday, authorities said, as investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office identified the driver who died as Alfred Desmandes, 69, of Margate. Traffic homicide detectives said Desmandes was walking through the lot while another bus was being driven across the property. He suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken by Pompano Beach Fire Rescue to Broward Health North. The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office notified detectives Thursday, Sept. 10, that Desmandes had died.
Investigators said the bus involved had been parked at gas pumps on the east side of a building before its driver, identified by authorities as Steven Becker, pulled away and made a U-turn to travel west through the parking lot. At the same time, Desmandes was walking southwest toward the building, according to the sheriff’s office account of the crash.
Becker told investigators he did not see Desmandes crossing the lot because the parking lot lights were not illuminated, authorities said. Desmandes entered the path of the bus and was struck by the vehicle’s front driver’s side, according to investigators. Authorities have not announced a determination about why the lights were off.
Detectives said excessive speed and impairment are not believed to have contributed to the collision. No charges had been filed as of Friday, and the traffic homicide investigation remained open. Authorities have not announced any final finding on responsibility for the crash.
Desmandes worked for Broward County Public Schools, where the district’s staff directory lists him as a relief bus operator with pupil transportation. His son, Kendrick Desmandes, told Local 10 News that his father had worked as a bus driver for more than 30 years.
Kendrick Desmandes said his family is seeking answers about the conditions at the lot, particularly why the lights were not on when his father was struck. He said the circumstances surrounding the collision have added to the family’s grief as they try to understand what happened.
The crash occurred at a facility where school buses and transportation employees operate before and after routes. Investigators have not publicly said whether surveillance video captured the collision or whether lighting equipment at the property was functioning normally. No information has been released indicating that students were aboard the bus involved in the collision.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office said its traffic homicide detectives continue to investigate the crash. Authorities had not announced charges or released a final investigative conclusion as of the latest available reports.
Author note: Last updated September 12, 2026.